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The differences between assembly & test technicians and electronics technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an assembly & test technician and an electronics technician. Additionally, an electronics technician has an average salary of $46,660, which is higher than the $38,774 average annual salary of an assembly & test technician.
The top three skills for an assembly & test technician include mechanical assembly, aerospace and dexterity. The most important skills for an electronics technician are hand tools, RF, and ladders.
| Assembly & Test Technician | Electronics Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,774 | $46,660 |
| Hourly rate | $18.64 | $22.43 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 64,354 | 83,284 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 47% | Associate Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
An assembly & test technician works at manufacturing facilities where they are in charge of assembling product components and subjecting them to various tests, ensuring compliance with standards and regulations. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their organization of employment, it usually includes understanding diagrams and project requirements, establishing and implementing test parameters, operating tools and equipment, maintaining records, and producing detailed reports. There are also times when they must coordinate with quality control teams, working together in a joint effort to improve production processes and results.
An electronics technician is responsible for the maintenance of the technology and electrical equipment to ensure its performance with the highest quality standards. Electronics technicians' duties include troubleshooting, replacing malfunction equipment components, upgrading technology and software systems, operating machines, diagnosing defects, analyzing blueprints, conducting system installations, and creating reports for technological procedures. An electronics technician must have excellent attention to detail and decision-making skills, as well as the ability to multi-task in performing tasks accurately and efficiently to deliver the best services to clients.
Assembly & test technicians and electronics technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assembly & Test Technician | Electronics Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,774 | $46,660 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $49,000 | Between $32,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beverly, MA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Montana |
| Best paying company | BWX Technologies | Jacobs Engineering Group |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Energy |
There are a few differences between an assembly & test technician and an electronics technician in terms of educational background:
| Assembly & Test Technician | Electronics Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 47% | Associate Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between assembly & test technicians' and electronics technicians' demographics:
| Assembly & Test Technician | Electronics Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.4% Female, 14.6% | Male, 91.4% Female, 8.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |